---
kind: "section"
citation: "52 U.S.C. § 20102"
title: "52"
title_heading: "Voting and Elections"
number: "20102"
heading: "Selection of polling facilities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/52/20102"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Voting Assistance and Election Administration"
  - "Chapter 201 — Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped"
---

# §20102. Selection of polling facilities

- (a) **Accessibility to all polling places as responsibility of each political subdivision—** Within each [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5), except as provided in [subsection (b)](#b), each political subdivision responsible for conducting [elections](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) shall assure that all polling places for [Federal elections](/usc/52/20107.md?p=3) are [accessible](/usc/52/20107.md?p=1) to [handicapped](/usc/52/20107.md?p=4) and [elderly](/usc/52/20107.md?p=2) voters.
- (b) **Exception—** [Subsection (a)](#a) shall not apply to a polling place—
  - (1) in the case of an emergency, as determined by the chief [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) officer of the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5); or
  - (2) if the chief [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) officer of the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5)—
    - (A) determines that all potential polling places have been surveyed and no such [accessible](/usc/52/20107.md?p=1) place is available, nor is the political subdivision able to make one temporarily [accessible](/usc/52/20107.md?p=1), in the area involved; and
    - (B) assures that any [handicapped](/usc/52/20107.md?p=4) or [elderly](/usc/52/20107.md?p=2) voter assigned to an inaccessible polling place, upon advance request of such voter (pursuant to procedures established by the chief [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) officer of the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5))—
      - (i) will be assigned to an [accessible](/usc/52/20107.md?p=1) polling place, or
      - (ii) will be provided with an alternative means for casting a ballot on the day of the [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1).
- (c) **Report to Federal Election Commission—**
  - (1) Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, the chief [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) officer of each [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall report to the [Federal Election](/usc/52/20107.md?p=3) Commission, in a manner to be determined by the Commission, the number of [accessible](/usc/52/20107.md?p=1) and inaccessible polling places in such [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) on the date of the preceding general [Federal election](/usc/52/20107.md?p=3), and the reasons for any instance of inaccessibility.
  - (2) Not later than April 30 of each odd-numbered year, the [Federal Election](/usc/52/20107.md?p=3) Commission shall compile the information reported under [paragraph (1)](#c-1) and shall transmit that information to the Congress.
  - (3) The provisions of this subsection shall only be effective for a period of 10 years beginning on September 28, 1984.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–435, § 3, Sept. 28, 1984, 98 Stat. 1678.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 1973ee–1 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to elections taking place after Dec. 31, 1985, see section 9 of Pub. L. 98–435, set out as a note under section 20101 of this title.